Tips For Finding Your First Job

There’s some point in your life that you decide you need to find a job. It could be after the announcement of a new Beyoncé tour or maybe it’s when you decide to get a head start on your career. Either way, your first job is a milestone and a new experience. You may stumble upon a first job through a family connection, but if you haven’t found yourself pet-sitting your neighbor’s cats yet, here are a few tips to try and find a job that can fund those Beyoncé tickets.

Pick a Job with your Friends

A perfect first job is one that you can do with your friends. Working with friends can create a positive environment for something that may be outside your comfort zone. My favorite jobs have been the ones where I spend every shift with a friend that I can work with and joke around with. If anyone in your friend group is working somewhere, ask them if they like it and then check that job out. If none of your friends have found a job yet, find a place together that you all can apply to. Maybe you all can scoop ice cream together at the local ice cream shop. A job where you’re on a team would be a perfect place to start!

Talk to Your Parents and Their Friends

You’d be surprise how many people your parents probably know that would be able to find a job for you in the summer or after school. A lot of companies need people to answer phone calls, check out customers, and copy papers. Your parents and their friends would love to help you because they know that you probably want to start gaining work experience. They will also appreciate your drive and initiative in looking for a job. If they don’t have a job to offer you, they may know somewhere that is hiring!

Help Your Neighbors

There is always something that your neighbors need help with. You could offer to watch your neighbor’s house while they are on vacation, or even take care of their pets. If you’re questioning whether house-sitting and pet-sitting counts as a first job, know that it absolutely does! You are learning how to negotiate a salary, follow a time schedule, and work with a client. Just walk next door and ask your neighbors what you can do for them!

Pick Something Fun!

Your first job should be a fun way to start experiencing what it is like to have a job, a team, and a manager. So definitely try to find something that you would enjoy doing. If you like to swim, be outside, and get tan, go get a lifeguarding certification and lifeguard out in the sun all day. Fun things like working at a summer camp will feel less like a job and will be more of a week of dancing and making friends, so this is good if you like kids and have a high-energy personality. I’m convinced that everyone secretly wants to be a barista so they can learn how to make the perfect latte. So head on over to Starbucks and start learning how to make those Hazelnut lattes!

Don’t Think Too Hard About the Money

The final tip is to not think too hard about the money. The likelihood that your first job will be a high paying job is pretty low, so don’t expect to roll in the dough anytime soon. Don’t base all of your search off of where you can make the most money. This job is for the experience, and you’ll find that any amount on your first paycheck will feel rewarding. It’s okay to spend it. You’ve earned it. Spend it wisely and consider saving some of it from the start to get in the habit of budgeting.

As you look for a first job, make sure to be open to any possibility! Any work experience is good experience. A bad experience is just as beneficial as a good experience. It can teach you all of the things that you don’t want in your next job like the type of manager you don’t want or whether you like working with food. You may find that you don’t like talking to a lot of people as a part of your job and so for your next job, you may prefer something more technology related rather than a job like waitressing that requires constant interaction with strangers. Don’t worry though. You will get a job, and it will be an incredible experience no matter what happens! Good luck!

Need ideas for where to look? Here’s a list of a few jobs that some of us at Everly Mag have done!